A semi fire closed Interstate 65 in Bartholomew County on Monday morning. Deputy Chief Matt Lynch, with the German Township Volunteer Fire Department, says that just before 9 a.m., dispatchers received several calls about a crashed semi at the 78 mile marker on I-65.

Lynch says that firefighters from his department responded and observed a semi that had run into the ditch and came to rest in the trees. He says that the semi cab and trailer, which was empty, was about 80-percent consumed by fire. With no fire hydrants along the interstate, firefighters received help from the Edinburgh Fire Department and requested further assistance with water tankers from Clifford, Flat Rock, and Harrison Township fire departments. Lynch says that the fire was under control within 20 minutes, consuming 9,000 gallons of water to extinguish it.

Authorities say that fire crews were on scene for about three hours as the remaining diesel fuel was off loaded and the semi was towed from the scene.

The investigation into what caused the crash is ongoing.